I HAVE long thought that the Honours system has become so debased by spivvery and cynical opportunism that it is time it was scrapped altogether.

I was reinforced in my belief when the request by Greater Manchester Chief Constable Michael Todd for DC Stephen Oake to be posthumously awarded the George Cross for sacrificing his life in January 2003 to protect his colleagues from a knife-wielding Al-Qaida terrorist in Manchester was turned down by the George Cross Committee.

The explanation was what DC Oakes did was in the line of duty.

Yet Lord Patel, Lord Puttnam, Lord Levy, Lord Sainsbury, Lord Ali, Lord Bragg, Lord Gavron, Lord Bernstein and Lord Hart were all awarded peerages.

You may ask what brave acts they did to deserve peerages? Well all of them have supported the Labour Party. As a high ranking Police Federation official said: "If Stephen Oakes had made a £100,000 donation to the Labour Party an offer of a knighthood would be in the return post.

"Stephen gave his life in a true act of heroism. He made a conscious decision to save lives of his colleagues and members of the general public. It is disgraceful that he has been snubbed by this government."

Without doubt DC Stephen Oakes was a real hero and if laying down your life for others does not qualify you for a posthumous award for bravery then one has to question whether the Honours system should not be abolished.

The Prime Minister with his wife attended the funeral of DC Oakes and was in trembling lip mode.

He should hang his head in shame at this decision.

Councillor D PEARSON, St Michaels Court, Blackburn.